Sonic Clams - Sonic Clams (1986)

Bob Chaos

9.1

/Weird pop, Avant-garde, Non-music, Experimentalism, Improvised music, Psychedelia, Psych-music, Sound collage, Found sound/

Comment: approximately 2 years ago I reviewed Phil Reavis` amazing album The Reagan Years, which was issued on WM Recordings in 2008. Before it Phil Reavis played in some Muncie/Bloomington, Indiana-related bands which in turn were related to Bob Chaos Records, a avant-garde cassette label having had the lifespan from 1984 to 1988. Anyway, Sonic Clams represents an album of 18 tracks which can be deemed to be one of the precursors of nowadays lo-fi/DIY/tape music culture (the label needs to be discovered by a wider audience yet). More profoundly, all is revolving (or revolting) around those hazy soundscapes which are loaded with deliberate tape hisses, spoken word samples, found sound additions, somewhat majestic organ drones or on the other side filled in with angry, obsessed prepared guitar shards and noise. However, at times this album seems to be a chain between R Stevie Moore, and The Residents, for instance. It also borders upon the early doings by John Crewdson aka the Hirundu and Halloween-induced compilatons.

Windom Earle All Stars - A Series of Minor Personal Tragedies (2006)

Polygon Network
Windom Earle

9.4

/Electro-punk, Chip punk, Prog-indie, Avant-punk, Synth pop, Experimental rock, Art rock, Dance rock, Electronic pop/

Comment: what the heck, this is an experienced, frenetic combo of 6 musicians from Halifax, Canada offering up 14 electro, primitive electro/8-bit/chiptune and prog-drenched punk ditties (even hardcore and shoutcore-loaded songs are up here). Clever lyrics, huge feeze, intricate compositions - in a word, all what shall have to be presumed to create a gritty pop album on its own. For instance, you must listen to Potato Potato, a breathtaking notch with gleaming, blissed-out electro groove. More profoundly, if you are searching for some kindred souls, I recommend listen to Xiu Xiu, Ooberman, Deerhof, A Sunny Day In Glasgow, Clinic, and Hipster Youth.

Klever - Trip#5

Fragmenti - Музика за Плашење Деца и Нервирање Возрасни (2011)

Bandcamp
Lastfm

9.0

/Dark ambient, Organic electronica, Dark wave, Musique concrète, Minimalism, Experimentalism, Conceptual, Avant-garde/

Comment: Fragmenti is a musician from Macedonia, who used to come from the same nest wherefrom artists such as Sferi, and fydhws came forth (a group named as NGC 147). Just one, 27-minute track is represented here which relies on the loop of a bass line incessantly throbbing onward being backed up by organic electronica-hued yet ghastly backdrops and minimal changes throughout the c(o)urse. In conclusion, you can see the references drawing upon the minimal drone works by La Monte Young and Angus Maclise, and on the other side, tributing the views of darkwavers and obscure ambient musicians. It is said that the issue is compiled of a kind of music to scare children and annoy adults.

The Sundog Project – The Sky Moved Overhead (2009)

Xynthetic

8.7

/Martial music, Neoclassical, Experimental electronica, Remixes, Dark pop, IDM/

Comment: Ian Johnson aka The Sundog Project from Cheltenham, UK offers up one original track of him and thereafter remixing of a pair of tracks by Creepy Candles. There can be detected for a tendency to mix up electronica and IDM-esque paces with piano chord carved footstalls which are wrapped up by neoclassical, even martial feeling.

Días de Septiembre - Días de Septiembre (2011)

Clinical Archives
Subwise
Lastfm

8.5

/Post-rock, Epic, Experimental rock, Indie rock, Alternative pop/rock/

Comment: a massive and winsome rock blowup from Caracas, Venezuela. As regarding the concept of die-hard post-rock whenever you may admit that it is business as usual because of being compiled of a bunch of guitar layers, penetrating guitar gears, punching drums, which is spiced up with some electronica inbetween it. Let`s take a ride from the slope of a mountain over to the peak of the mountain and thereafter let`s do contrariwise. Indeed, some guitars are bigger than others.

Nice Age - No Wrong No Right